La Paz County Land Swap: 3,400 Acres of Federal Land Cleared for Transfer and Solar Development, Bypassing Standard Review

This bill, officially the La Paz County Solar Energy and Job Creation Act, sets the stage for a major land transfer in Arizona. It authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey about 3,400 acres of specific Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in La Paz County to the County government as soon as the County asks for it (SEC. 3). The title suggests a focus on solar energy and jobs, and the bill delivers on the land transfer mechanism to make that happen. Crucially, this transfer is designed to be fast-tracked: it bypasses the typical planning rules found in sections 202 and 203 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, which usually require extensive public review and planning before federal land can change hands. This means the County can get its hands on this land quickly for whatever development plans it has in mind.

The Price Tag and the Fine Print

Don't mistake this for a giveaway, though. La Paz County has to pay the fair market value for the land, determined by a professional appraisal, and it must cover all the administrative costs associated with the transfer, like surveys and fees (SEC. 3). For taxpayers, this is a good provision—the federal government isn't just handing over assets for free. However, the bill gives the Secretary of the Interior a lot of discretion in what land they must exclude from the transfer. They have to keep out any land that has "important cultural, environmental, wildlife, or recreational resources." That sounds good on paper, but what exactly counts as "important"? Since the standard public planning process is being skipped, the definition of what gets protected here relies heavily on the Secretary's judgment, which could be a point of friction if the County wants a specific parcel for a project.

Protecting History and Blocking Mining

One of the most specific and strongest parts of this bill involves cultural protection. The legislation mandates that the County must make "good faith efforts" to avoid disturbing any Tribal artifacts (SEC. 3). If artifacts are disturbed, the County must minimize the impact and work directly with the Colorado River Indian Tribes Tribal Historic Preservation Office. In a significant move, Tribal representatives must be allowed to rebury any artifacts found near where they were discovered. This protection is permanent and applies to the County and any future private owners of the land, which is a big win for historic and cultural preservation that often gets overlooked in land deals.

Another immediate change is that the Federal land is immediately withdrawn from all U.S. mining and mineral leasing laws (SEC. 3). If you’re a miner or a company looking for mineral rights, this specific 3,400-acre parcel is now permanently off-limits. This provision clears the way for surface development, like solar farms, by eliminating the risk of future mining claims popping up and complicating things. For the local community, this means the land will be developed for surface use, not underground extraction. The money from the sale then goes into the Federal Land Disposal Account, as required by existing law, to be used for other federal land management needs.